Current Giveaways:

Thursday, June 3, 2010

The Tension of Opposites by Kristina McBrideGenre: Young Adult FictionRelease Date: Available NowPublisher: EgmontUSAPages: 288Source: Received from publicist for honest review

Summary: When Tessa's best friend Noelle disappears right before the start of eighth grade, Tessa's life changes completely--she shies away from her other friends and stops eating in the cafeteria. Now, two years later, Noelle has escaped her captivity and is coming home, in one piece but not exactly intact, and definitely different. Tessa's life is about to change again as she tries to revive the best-friendship the two girls had shared before Noelle--now Elle--was kidnapped; puts up a futile resistance to the charming new guy at school; pursues her passion for photography while trying to build the bravado to show her photos to the public; and tries to balance her desire to protect and shelter Elle with the necessity to live her own life and put herself first.

My Review:The Tension of Opposites was a heartbreaking story about the aftermath of a kidnapping. The distress and raw emotions behind the plot was perfectly executed. News channels always mention kidnappings but, they don't normally focus on the victim's state of mind. So, I admired that Kristina took that route. I enjoyed picking through the ups and downs of Noelle's mind. Tessa, Noelle's best friend, was a fantastic character. I loved her determination and continuous support for Noelle. It's hard to see someone you love change dramatically after a tragic event. Patience was key to understanding the changes that Noelle was going through and Tessa was the right person to stand by her side.

This book not only was emotional but also had romance in it. Tessa never really cared about her feelings and just remained a true, selfless friend towards Noelle. However, that slowly changed once she met Max. He was absolutely adorable and a great energy to be around. I think he played a huge role in helping Tessa through her difficult friendship with Noelle. Overall, this book simply hooked me in and left me feeling satisfied. It was creative and well-balanced. I haven't seen this idea in YA before and I am grateful to have read this innovative debut. I look forwarding to read more works by Kristina since her writing is highly delightful.

My Rating:Book Trailer:

Author's Info:Kristina McBride is a debut author who lives with her family in Centerville, OH. A high school English teacher and yearbook adviser, Kristina wrote The Tension of Opposites in response to the abduction and safe return of eleven-year-old Shawn Hornbeck, who in 2002, was kidnapped while riding his bike to a friend's house.